diff --git a/python_source/backend/launchers.py b/python_source/backend/launchers.py
index e14fe79..ccb77e1 100644
--- a/python_source/backend/launchers.py
+++ b/python_source/backend/launchers.py
@@ -115,10 +115,8 @@ def launchPrep(sample, binPath, workDir=None, inputDataDir=None,
 
       # compute mean particle separation
       log.write("\nFlagging edge galaxies.\n")
-      (boxVol, nbar) = getSurveyProps(sample.maskFile, sample.zRange[0],
-            sample.zRange[1], sample.zRange[0], sample.zRange[1], "all",
-            sample.omegaM, useComoving=useComoving)
-     
+      (boxVol, nbar) = getSurveyProps(sample)
+    
       numTracers = int(open("total_particles.txt", "r").read())
       sample.meanPartSep = (1.*numTracers/boxVol/nbar)**(-1/3.)
 
@@ -153,9 +151,7 @@ def launchPrep(sample, binPath, workDir=None, inputDataDir=None,
 
     # compute mean particle separation
     # TODO - clean up this duplicate to cover all continueRun options
-    (boxVol, nbar) = getSurveyProps(sample.maskFile, sample.zRange[0],
-              sample.zRange[1], sample.zRange[0], sample.zRange[1], "all",
-              sample.omegaM, useComoving=useComoving)
+    (boxVol, nbar) = getSurveyProps(sample)
      
     numTracers = int(open("total_particles.txt", "r").read())
     sample.meanPartSep = (1.*numTracers/boxVol/nbar)**(-1/3.)
diff --git a/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py b/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py
index ab26e97..e35af80 100644
--- a/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py
+++ b/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py
@@ -30,11 +30,17 @@ from backend.cosmologyTools import *
 __all__=['getSurveyProps', 'getNside', 'figureOutMask', 'findEdgeGalaxies']
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# returns the volume and galaxy density for a given redshit slice
-def getSurveyProps(maskFile, zmin, zmax, selFunMin, selFunMax, portion, 
-                   omegaM, selectionFuncFile=None, useComoving=False):
+# returns the survey volume and scaled galaxy density for a given redshit slice
+def getSurveyProps(sample):
 
-  #LIGHT_SPEED = 299792.458
+  maskFile = sample.maskFile
+  zmin = sample.zBoundary[0]
+  zmax = sample.zBoundary[1]
+  selFunMin = sample.zBoundary[0]
+  selFunMax = sample.zBoundary[1]
+  omegaM = sample.omegaM
+  selectionFuncFile = sample.selFunFile
+  useComoving = sample.useComoving
 
   mask = healpy.read_map(maskFile)
   area = (1.*np.size(np.where(mask > 0)) / np.size(mask)) * 4.*np.pi
diff --git a/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py b/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py
index 5f894b9..2d8dfcb 100644
--- a/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py
+++ b/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py
@@ -169,14 +169,9 @@ def getVolNorm(sampleDir):
       else:
         maskFile = sampleDir+"/"+os.path.basename(sample.maskFile)
         print("Using maskfile found in: " + maskFile)
-      props = getSurveyProps(maskFile, sample.zBoundary[0],
-                                sample.zBoundary[1],
-                                sample.zBoundary[0],
-                                sample.zBoundary[1], 
-                                "all",
-                                sample.omegaM,
-                                selectionFuncFile=sample.selFunFile,
-                                useComoving=sample.useComoving)
+
+
+      props = getSurveyProps(sample)
       surveyVol = props[0]
       volNormObs = nGal/surveyVol
 
diff --git a/python_source/voidUtil/plotUtil.py b/python_source/voidUtil/plotUtil.py
index f01a6c9..e0c1144 100644
--- a/python_source/voidUtil/plotUtil.py
+++ b/python_source/voidUtil/plotUtil.py
@@ -80,12 +80,7 @@ def plotNumberFunction(catalogList,
   
     if sample.dataType == "observation":
       maskFile = sample.maskFile
-  
-      boxVol = sp.getSurveyProps(maskFile,
-                                 sample.zBoundary[0], sample.zBoundary[1],
-                                 sample.zRange[0], sample.zRange[1], "all",
-                                 selectionFuncFile=sample.selFunFile,
-                                 omegaM=sample.omegaM)[0]
+      boxVol = sp.getSurveyProps(sample)[0]
     else:
       boxVol = sample.boxLen*sample.boxLen*(sample.zBoundaryMpc[1] -
                                             sample.zBoundaryMpc[0])
@@ -110,7 +105,7 @@ def plotNumberFunction(catalogList,
   
     lowerbound = hist - sig
     upperbound = hist + sig
-  
+ 
     mean = np.log10(hist/boxVol)
     lowerbound = np.log10(lowerbound/boxVol)
     upperbound = np.log10(upperbound/boxVol)
@@ -137,8 +132,8 @@ def plotNumberFunction(catalogList,
                 linewidth=3)
     
     distList.append((binCentersToUse, mean, lower, upper))
-  
-  plt.legend(loc = "upper right", fancybox=True, prop={'size':14})
+ 
+  plt.legend(loc = "lower left", fancybox=True, prop={'size':14})
   
   plt.savefig(figDir+"/fig_"+plotName+".pdf", bbox_inches="tight")
   #plt.savefig(figDir+"/fig_"+plotName+".eps", bbox_inches="tight")